Tongue switch



April 8, 1924. 19489285 J. V. STEWART ET AL TONGUE SWITCH Filed Dec. 181923v .'5 Sheets-Shefn 2 any M 5y,

Aprfi s, 1924. h I y 1,489,285

J. V. STEWART ET AL l I A `TONGUE SWITCH l Filed Dec. les, -1925 :ssheets-sheet s Patented' Apr. 8, 1924.

lUNITED STATES II 1,489,285 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. STEWART .ANDy FRANK G. WERTZ, O-F J OHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

Tonarm swrrcH.'

Application led December 18, 1923. Serial No. 681,339.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, JOHN V. STEWART and FRANKG. WERTZ, citizens of the United States, and residents of Johnstown, inthe ycounty of Cambria and State of Pennsyll vania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tongue Switches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to tongue switches and more particularly to meansfor operating and locking the tongues in thrown position.

One object of this invention is to provide means whereby the switchtongue may be swung to either side of the body and locked in position ina single operation.

Another object is to provide a tongue switch having the novel operatingand locking means described in the following specilication andillustrated in the Aaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Figures '1 and 1 combine to form a top plan of a switch structureembodying this invention. i

Figures2 and 2a combine to form a sectional side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line III-III ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional eleva# tion on the line IV-IV ofFigure 1a.

Referring more particularly to the draw` ings, the numeral 2 designatesthe body portion of the tongue switch as a whole, which is of theordinary well known construction, and is provided with a groove ordepression 3 in its'iioor, in which is mounted the usual tongue 4 havinga downwardly projecting lug 5 to which the tongue operating rod 6 issecured.

A box 7 for containing the switch operating mechanism is secured to theside of the switch body 2 by bolts 8.

The tongue operating rod 6 extends through a suitable aperture in thebody 2l and into the box 7, and is pivotally secured in an eccentricbearing ymember 9 adjustably mounted in an arm 10 of a substantiallyuniversal y mounting `A. The universal mounting A is composed of avertical p in or shaft 114 mounted for horizontal pivotal movement inthe box 7, and having the horizontally disposed integral arm 10 and ab'ail'or` U-shaped link member 12 pivotally mounted thereon for verticalswinging movement.

vA is moved about the pivot pin An operating hand lever 14 is pivotallymounted on a horizontally disposed pivot pln 15 secured to the side ofthe box. The

' lever 14 is offset as at 16 adjacent the pivoted end and is providedat the offset portion with an aperture to receive a pivot lug 17y on thebail or U-shaped link 12.

The operation of the tongue operating mechanism above described is asfollows- Assuming that the mechanism is in the position shown, the handlever 14 will be raised,

and due to the universal mounting A, considerable lost motion is had,since the rst `operation or lifting movement of the lever 14 will raisethe bail or U-shaped link 12 an appreciable amount before the mounting11. After the link 12 has been raised a sufficient distance, the linkwill act as a lever to rotate the pivot pin 11 about its vertical axis,thus moving the lever or arm 10 rearwardly and operating the rod 6 toswing the switch tongue.

A locking or latch mechanism is provided for locking the tongue in itsthrown or swung position at both sides of the body 2 and comprises alocking bar 20 mounted for `a reciprocating or sliding movement in agulde and supporting structure 21 formed integral with the switch body 2below the Hoor thereof. The bar 2O is provided at its forward or freeend with a head 22 adapted to engage the side face of the lugy 5 on thetongue. The rear end of the bar 2O has a ball and socket connection 23with one arm of a bell crank lever 24 which lever is in turn pivotallymounted on a pin 25 secured in the switch body 2. The other arm of thelever 24 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 26 which has itsotherend pivotally connected to a link coupling member 27. The couplingmember 27 is connected to a lock operating rod 28 which is in turnconnected at 29 to a manipulating bar 30.

The manipulating bar 8O is pivotally connected at each end to one arm ofL-shaped ,or bell crank operating levers 31, which levers are in turnpivotally connected at the junction of their arms to ears 32 formedintegra-l with the bottom of the box 7. The other arm of each of thelevers 81 has its free e-nd enlarged and provided with an open slot 33to receive a connecting pin 34 carried by the hand lever 14.

In operation, assuming that the parts are in the position shown in thedrawings, the

zthesivitch body y2. been 'moved kpast center..and "the movement of 4theVswitch tongiie,it will again .be lsubjected to lostzmotion in `llower-Ithe* hand lever 4rment starts,

`side thereof. 'The shown v,to illustrate the 4manner iiiwliich eratingineens. 'It double rail 615i' iirst upward:movement of .the hand lever14, that is the lost motion movement, will litt or rock the lett handlever 81 about its pivot, and thus reciprocate the bar 3() and rock thesecond lever '31 and reciprocate the rod 28 and link 26. Thereciprocatingof the rod 2S and link 26 Will rock the bell crank lever 24and tthusrivithdraiv the locking bar 2O so as to disengage its head 22from the lug 5. The hand-lever 14 isradapt.- ed'to move the bell crank31 until it 'reaches the limit-'olf itsl lost motion, vandthe partsare'vso vproportioned and: adj-ustedy that'the lockingbar QO'ivill befreefot'. the lug- 5 when 14 reaches this position. As thehandleverreaches the end ot its lostfmotion movement, the pinf-lxivill'move out ot Vthe ope-ii slot 33 and `:the lever 14vvilloperate the'rod rtoimove further movement of 'tlietongiie 4'tromone sideito the other of Atter'zthe lever 14 -'has 'has completed ingthe Usshaped .link llfand,V asthis-mov'ebell crankfleverl andcauseltlie'levers 31 randbarlBOpto.move to fthe leitt or in 'a `re-'verse'd'i'rectiom 'thus :again 'torcingthe y lockingbar :QOfinWardlysoithat its head2?J Will engage the right hand side ot' the lug 5 and vlock'the tongue/4in its new` position.

,lever B1y is-in -positionto release 'thezpin 34 and ther other lever 31is in position to'receive the pin 34, at flexible stop is provided. Thisstop comprises aroller 381mounted in a lever 39 iaving one end pivotedat 40 to ia suitable lng on the bottom of the lbox 7 rand having itsother end-supported by a coiled spring 41.

The roller 38 isl adapted to enter a depression/42- in thefloiver' aceofthe bar 30 and-softlexibly hold the .bar 30 and leverskl inposition'iintil iinseated by V,the ipositive'ac'tion of the lever 14 asthe pin 34 entersithexslot in the other lever 31. It-will bernotedthe-'tongue operating rod 'Gisshowvn continued through the: right handsideof tliesivitch'body A2 and that a rod 45 :is shown-extending fromthe linkcoupling through the-switch Ybody 2to'the right-handycontinuation of `the tongue operating rod @sand the rod V45fare doublerail *tonguev switches-may be operated by the single'hand leverandz-lock-Aoptongue switches f' are to be operated the i second j onlyone :tongue .switch is the pin '34 on the lever 14 will enterthe-openslot in tlieright hand tongue .locking mechanism.

It Will be understood, however, that When being used the rod 6 will be.terminated at t-he lug 5 and the rod 45 will be omitted.

vWhile We h ave lshown i and described4 only one specific embodiment oftour invention it .will be expressly understood that We do 4not wish tobe limited thereto, since various vinodi'iicai'iions may bemade 4Without,depart ing 'rointhe scope of the appended claims.

We clainrs- 1. The combination Witha tongue-switch comprisinglasuitable-bodyportion and a "from side to being provided tongue adaptedto lbe Vswung side thereof, said tongue -vwith a 1 downwardly projectinglug `on its :bottoni tace, oi..a-ftongiie operating rod connectedto saidlug, :apivoted tongue operating lever connected tosaidrod:andfadaptedtoreciprocate said rod tovsivingsaid tongue, means for 'permittingilojstmotion v.between said operating lever and-said tongue operating' rod, Yand. other; ineans operatedI by Ysaid lever during the lost motionl.movement adapted to lock said tongiueinlposit-ion, said meanscomprising a locking bolt-mounted for -reciprocatory imovementfin said.switch body and being provided at its l'fr-,ee Iend l-ivith a headportionadaptedtofengage the side face ot "saiddownwar'dly projecting.lug on-said tongue, Ysaid bola/having its rearend connected by a'balland socketconnection With rone rar-m of la 4horizontally movablebell crank lever pivotallyfmounted insai'd switch body, the otlienend-otsaid `bell cra-nk leverl being connected by suitab1e y links to ahorizontally .I movable manipulating bar, saidbar having-*eachfendpivotally connected toyoneI arm of ay bell. crank `y`lever,

Vsaidlast named bellcrank levers having their rfree.y arms f providedwith open slotsiand a connectingfpin projecting fromv the side of saidtongue operating rod adant-edftoen igage inwsaid-iopenslotsin saidbellcranks #duringlthe :lostinotion movement of :said

rod1 thereby operating said bell cranks,

manipulating bar fand connected mechanism to r cause the operation etsaid locking bolt prior toi the movement ,of said switchtongue.

i2. The combinati-on-Witha tonguefsivitch comprising alsuitable'bodyfportionand a tongue adapted'to be'sn'ung from-side toyside thereof, said tongue g being IYprovided with a downwardlyprojecting 'flug on its .bottom facevo of fa tongue goperatii-ig-rodyconnected to fsaid lugaajpi'voted tongue operating lever-fgconnectedftosaid rod andadapted to reciprocate said i rod to Y swing f said tongue,means Jfor permitting lost motion .between said operating lever and saidtongue operating rod, and other means operated by said lever during thelost motion movement adapted to lock said tongue in position, said meanscomprising a f, locki-ng bolt mounted for reciprocatory movement in saidswitch body and being provided at its free end with a head portionadapted to engage the side face of said downwardly projecting lug onsaid tongue, said bolt having its rear end pivotally connected to onearm of a horizontally movable bell crank lever, the other arm of saidbell crank lever being connected by a suitable link mechanism to ahorizontally movable manipulating bar, and means adapted to connect saidmanipulating bar and said switch tongue operating lever during the lostmotion movement of said lever to cause a reciprocatory movement of saidmanipulating bar and operation of its associated mechanism to therebyoperate said locking bolt prior to the operation of said switch tongue.

3. The combination with a tongue switch comprising a suitable bodyportion and a tongue adapted to be swung from side to side thereof, saidtongue being provided with a downwardly projecting lug on its bottomface, of a tongue operating rod connected to said lug, a pivoted tongueoperating lever connected to said rod and adapted to reciprocate saidrod to swing said tongue, means for permitting lost motion between saidoperating lever and said tongue operating rod, and other means operatedby said lever during the lost motion movement adapted to lock saidtongue in position, said means comprising a locking bolt mounted forreciprocatory movement in said switch body and being provided at its:tree end by a suitable link mechanism to a horizontally movablemanipulating bar, means adapted to connect said manipulating bar andsaid switch tongue operating lever during the lost motion movement ofsaid lever to cause a reciprocatory movement of said manipulating barand operation of its associated mechanism to thereby operate saidlocking bolt prior to the operation of said switch tongue, and afiexible stopI for limiting the movement of said manipulating bar.

4. The combination with a tongue switch comprising a suitable bodyportion` and a tongue adapted to be swung from side to side thereof,said tongue being provided with a downwardly projecting lug on itsbottom face, of a locking bolt mounted for reciprocatory movement insaid switch body and being provided at its free end with a head portionadapted to engage the side face of said downwardly projecting lug onsaid tongue, said bolt having its rear end pivotally connected to onearm of a horizontally movable bell crank lever, the other arm of saidbell crank lever being connected by a suitable link mechanism to ahorizontally movable manipulating bar, and an operating lever adapted toreciprocate said manipulating bar to operate its associated mechanismand said bolt.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN V. STEWART. FRANK G. WERTZ.

